Image Renamer: How to Rename Images in Bulk with AI

Images are the most common files needing renaming. Whether you're managing product photos, personal memories, or professional shoots, good image names make files findable and organized.

Why Image Renaming Matters

The Default Name Problem

Every camera and phone creates generic names:

• iPhone: IMG_0001.HEIC, IMG_0002.HEIC
• Android: 20250101_143022.jpg
• Canon: IMG_4521.jpg
• Sony: DSC00001.jpg
• Screenshots: Screen Shot 2025-01-01 at 2.30.45 PM.png

These names tell you nothing about the image content.

Benefits of Proper Image Names

• Find images by content: "sunset-beach.jpg" vs "IMG_4521.jpg"
• Sort logically: Related images group together
• Professional delivery: Clients see organized work
• Future-proof: Names don't rely on memory

Image Renaming Methods

Method 1: AI-Powered Renaming (Best for Content)

File Renamer AI uses vision AI to understand image content:

Example Results: - IMG_4521.jpg → golden-retriever-playing-fetch.jpg - DSC00042.jpg → mountain-sunset-colorado.jpg - IMG_0001.HEIC → wedding-first-dance-ballroom.jpg

Best For: Images where content description matters

Method 2: EXIF Data Extraction

Use camera metadata for naming:

Available EXIF Data: - Date/time taken - Camera model - GPS location - Focal length - ISO/aperture

Example Pattern: `{date}-{camera}-{sequence}` → 2025-01-01-canon-eos-r5-001.jpg

Best For: Organizing by when/where photos were taken

Method 3: Pattern-Based Renaming

Simple find-replace and sequences:

Examples: - Add prefix: vacation-IMG_4521.jpg - Replace text: hawaii-4521.jpg - Sequence: photo-001.jpg, photo-002.jpg

Best For: Quick organization without content analysis

Best Image Renaming Tools

For AI-Powered Naming

File Renamer AI - filerenamerai.com/app - Understands image content - Generates descriptive names - Batch processing - Works in browser

For EXIF-Based Naming

XnView MP (Free, Cross-platform) - Full EXIF support - Batch renaming - Template system

Adobe Bridge (Paid, Adobe CC) - Professional features - Deep EXIF integration - Batch workflows

For Simple Pattern Renaming

Finder (Mac) / PowerToys (Windows) - Built-in tools - Simple interface - Free

Image Renaming Best Practices

Naming Structure

Good image names include: 1. Subject: What's in the image 2. Context: Where, when, event 3. Sequence: For related images

Examples: - portrait-john-smith-headshot-001.jpg - product-blue-sneaker-front-white-bg.jpg - wedding-ceremony-first-kiss.jpg

Format Rules

• Lowercase: beach-sunset.jpg (not Beach-Sunset.JPG)
• Hyphens: beach-sunset.jpg (not beach_sunset.jpg)
• No Spaces: beach-sunset.jpg (not "beach sunset.jpg")
• ASCII Only: No special characters, emojis, or accents

Preserve Original Info

Consider keeping original identifiers: - beach-sunset-IMG4521.jpg - product-shoe-SKU12345.jpg

This allows tracing back to originals.

Step-by-Step: Bulk Image Renaming

Using File Renamer AI

1. Visit filerenamerai.com/app
2. Upload images (drag and drop up to 100)
3. Wait for AI analysis (seconds)
4. Review suggested names
5. Download renamed images

Using XnView MP

1. Open XnView MP
2. Navigate to image folder
3. Select images (Ctrl/Cmd+A for all)
4. Tools → Batch Rename
5. Configure template with EXIF variables
6. Preview and Execute

Using Command Line

bash
# Add date prefix from file modification time
for f in *.jpg; do
    date=$(stat -f "%Sm" -t "%Y-%m-%d" "$f")
    mv "$f" "$date-$f"
done

Image Types Considerations

RAW Files

• Keep RAW and JPEG names synchronized
• Use sidecar files for metadata
• Consider separate RAW archive

HEIC/HEIF (iPhone)

• Some tools don't support HEIC
• Convert to JPEG if needed
• Or use tools with HEIC support

Screenshots

Rename immediately after capture: - Screen Shot 2025... → app-settings-menu.png - Use descriptive names for documentation

Product Images

E-commerce naming standards: - SKU12345-product-name-angle.jpg - Include variation (color, size) - Consistent format across catalog

Common Image Renaming Mistakes

1. Too Generic ❌ photo.jpg, image.jpg, picture.jpg ✅ beach-sunset-malibu.jpg

2. Too Long ❌ beautiful-golden-sunset-over-the-pacific-ocean-as-seen-from-malibu-beach-california-usa.jpg ✅ sunset-malibu-beach.jpg

3. Inconsistent Format ❌ BeachSunset.jpg, beach_waves.JPG, BEACH-PALM.jpeg ✅ beach-sunset.jpg, beach-waves.jpg, beach-palm.jpg

4. No Sequence for Series ❌ product-photo.jpg, product-photo-1.jpg, product-photo-copy.jpg ✅ product-photo-001.jpg, product-photo-002.jpg, product-photo-003.jpg

Tool Comparison

| Tool | AI | EXIF | Price | Platform | |------|-----|------|-------|----------| | File Renamer AI | ✅ | ❌ | Free+ | Web | | XnView MP | ❌ | ✅ | Free | All | | Adobe Bridge | ❌ | ✅ | CC sub | All | | Renamer | ❌ | ✅ | $19.99 | Mac | | PowerToys | ❌ | ❌ | Free | Windows |

Conclusion

Effective image renaming requires the right tool for your needs:

• For content-based names: File Renamer AI
• For date/location names: EXIF-based tools
• For simple sequences: Built-in OS tools

The investment in proper image naming pays off immediately in findability and organization.

Try File Renamer AI - Get descriptive image names instantly with AI.